Industrial butt hinges are a type of hardware that must be used for industrial equipment doors. Although it is small, it is very useful. Its main function is to connect the door to the door frame and to bear the weight of the door.
Special industrial hinges vary according to the actual equipment requirements, and such cases are usually customized. However, both conventional and special industrial hinges will inevitably encounter the problem of rusting hinges. This is an issue that we need to focus on in the process of using industrial hinges.
We will analyze the following 10 aspects of industrial hinge rusting.
What is an industrial butt hinge?
First of all, we need to know what is an industrial hinge. It is a class of hinges used in the field of industrial equipment. They are used to connect a door to its frame and also play a load-bearing role.
There are many types of industrial hinges, which can be classified according to material, application, and structure. These are butt hinges, concealed hinges, heavy-duty hinges, detachable hinges, and cold room hinges.
What is the role of industrial hinges?
The role of industrial hinges is mainly as follows.
- Connect the equipment door to the door frame. This is the most important role of industrial hinges. Every piece of equipment that needs to be installed with a door needs to use hinges.
- To bear the weight of the door. The weight of the door determines the hinge’s load-bearing capacity. The heavier the door, the stronger the hinge needs to be installed. In general, each door needs to install at least 2 hinges.
- Lift the door commissioning. Some special features of the hinges in the process of opening and closing will make the door height will change. For example, when opening the door will rise with the opening angle and lower with the closing angle.
- Other special functions. According to the requirements of the equipment can be customized to different functions of the hinge, but the basic function is the same. Some hinges need to be removable, and these hinges are called demountable hinges. Some hinges require concealed installation, and these hinges are called concealed hinges.
Why do industrial hinges rust?
The main reasons for rusting hinges are as follows.
- The material of the hinge. This is one of the most essential factors. Different materials will determine whether or not the hinge rusts, or how much it rusts. If the hinge material is nylon, then there is no rust problem. If the hinge material is iron, it is likely to rust; if the hinge material is stainless steel 304, it basically will not rust.
- Hinge-use environment. Even if different materials play a decisive role in whether the hinge rusts, different use environments will greatly affect the hinge rust situation. Iron is more prone to rust than stainless steel, but if used in a dry indoor environment, it can be used in the same way as stainless steel without rusting. If stainless steel is used outdoors in a very harsh environment, even in sewage. Then it is also easy to rust.
- Long-term non-maintenance. In the case of normal use, if long-term must not be maintained, over time may also rust. Some equipment in the process of use will have oil and dust generated, these things cover the surface of the hinge for a long time to clean, and it is possible to produce corrosion on the hinge.
- The surface of the hinge is damaged. Iron hinge surface will generally do a layer of surface treatment, to prevent the role of rust. If this layer of protection is damaged and not repaired in time, time will also lead to rust, eventually leading to the entire hinge being completely rusted.
What environments tend to cause hinges to rust?
The following environments are likely to cause rusting of hinges.
- Humid environment. In a humid environment, the surface of the hinge is easily affected by the humid air. Various impurities and gases in the air are mixed together by the humid air, which may form some kind of corrosive solution. When these corrosive solutions adhere to the surface of the hinge, they will react chemically with the protective layer on the surface of the hinge, leading to the occurrence of rust.
- Oil environment. The oil environment will make the hinge in a state of being covered by oil for a long time, and there are many kinds of chemicals in the oil, which will also make the hinge rust.
- High-salt environment. It is easy to rust in a high-salt environment, even if the stainless steel material is in a high-salt environment for a long time, it will also rusts. The products we produce need to do a salt spray test, is in this high salt, high humidity environment for testing.
- The environment of strong acid. This environment is more serious corrosion of iron, almost visible to the naked eye speed of the hinges caused by corrosion.
What materials make industrial hinges prone to rusting?
We know that almost all metal products are surface-treated, and industrial hinges are no exception. Surface treatment is a very important process. It both makes the surface of the product more beautiful and protects the product from rusting or corrosion very quickly during use.
Different materials will determine the ease of rusting. If iron is not treated, rusting can be seen after a few hours in a humid environment. Therefore, iron is a material that is relatively easier to rust.
There are various types of stainless steel materials, such as 201 stainless steel, 304 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel, and many models. These three models of stainless steel are the most commonly used. Among them, 201 stainless steel is more prone to rust than 304 stainless steel, and 304 stainless steel is more prone to rust than 316 stainless steel. But in general, stainless steel is less prone to rust than iron materials.
Note that the rust here is relative. In actual use, there will be a variety of factors rust phenomenon.
How to avoid rusting of industrial hinges?
Now that we know under what circumstances industrial hinges are prone to rust, we have to know how to avoid this situation.
- Avoid being in a humid environment. Try not to put the equipment in a humid environment for a long time, which is not only unfriendly to the hinge, but also to the equipment. Besides, there are circuits inside the equipment.
- Avoid being in an environment of oil. Try not to put the equipment in the environment of oil for a long time, if you can’t avoid this situation, then you need to maintain the equipment and industrial hinges frequently and wipe the oil on the surface.
- Avoid being in a high-salt environment. This environment is more unfriendly than the previous two environments, especially when the surface of the hinge is damaged, it will rust in a very short time.
- Avoid being in a strong acid environment. This environment is even worse than the previous three. It should be absolutely forbidden.
In most cases, the products are used in a relatively normal environment. Nowadays, surface technology is very mature, and the products can be used in a normal environment for a long time without rusting. Especially now more and more customers are using stainless steel to order their industrial hinges.
What should I do if my industrial hinges are rusty?
If the hinges are rusted seriously, they need to be replaced to avoid safety hazards. If the rust is not very serious, you can spray anti-rust not to clean it. The surface rust of hinges is mainly due to the destruction of the protective layer on the surface, and it is easy to rust after a long time.
How to maintain industrial hinges?
In order to keep the hinge in good condition for a long time, it needs to be maintained regularly. It is like a human joint, if it is in working condition for a long time without rest, it may cause fatigue or rust.
To what extent are industrial hinges rusted to the point that they can’t be used?
If the hinges are rusting badly, we recommend replacing them. Especially if we find that the hinge shaft is also severely corroded, the hinge needs to be replaced immediately.
We know that the hinge shaft is the only bridge that connects the two hinge blocks. If the hinge shaft breaks, the whole door will fall off, thus causing a serious accident.
Does corrosion mean the same as rusting?
Rusting generally refers to the reaction of materials with water vapor and oxygen in the air, resulting in surface oxidation, and the reaction of rusting is generally slow. Corrosion refers to the phenomenon of rapid surface corrosion caused by the infiltration of corrosive media such as acids and alkalis, and the damaged surface is generally more severe.
